Notebook



March 17, 1936. T, .sALsM ANv 2,034,059

NOTEBOOK Filed Nov. 19, 1954 Patented Mar. 17, 1936 Thomas J. Salsman, Chicago,

Rockwell-Barnes Company,

poration of Illinois a 111., asslgnor to Chicago, lll., a cor;

Application-November 19, 1934, Serial No: 753,606 Claims. (01. 281-33) My present invention relates to a note bo'ok comprising a pair of covers with intermediate leaves all hinged together to swing through substantially 360 degrees. Such a note book is par- 5 ticularly useful for transcribing purposes because it may be upstood upon a desk with the lower edges of the covers widely separated whereby to expose successively the leaves-that are carried by the common hinge connections.

this invention is directed to the hinge connections themselves which comprise a series of split One .of the improvements which characterize rings having obliquely slanting meeting surfaces to form opposed offset points, the adjacent ring are inset so as to be removed from contact with the covers or leaves. In this way all interference to turning of the leaves is eliminated.

Another improvement concerns the application of friction means to the cover edges opposite those at which the hinge connections are placed, thereby promoting resistance on the part of the covers to slipping on the desk or other plane sm'face where the note book may be rested. This is of particular advantage because, as constituted, note books of this character when upstood upon a desk must have the bottom edges of the covers fairly close together, otherwise they will slide apart and allow the book to collapse. Not only'is this slippingof the covers prevented by the use of the friction means hereinafter described, but I am enabled thereby to upstand the book with the covers at a greater angle of divergence whereby the upper and lower portions of the exposed leaves are presented to the eye at substantially equal 5. 'I'his'is manifestly the correct -way in which the leaves should be supported, but one which is'almost impossible of attainment with note books as now constituted, due to. the fact (1) that the level of the desk upon which such note books are upstood is so much below that of the eye that the distance to the'lower portion of the exposedleaves is noticeably greater than thedistance to the upper portion of the same leaves and (2) that it is impossible to so'adjust these leaves angularly with respect to theeye that the top and bottom portions of the leaves portions being misaligned whereby the ring points covers showing are equidistant therefrom without spreading the supporting covers so great a distance that they will slide away from each, other and allow the book to collapse on the desk.

It is accordingly with aview to providing a note book with improved hinge connections and im- 55 proved resistance to slipping on the part of the covers that the present. invention is largely concerned. a

Referring to the accompanying drawing;

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my improved note book as it appears when upstood upon a 5 desk or other plane surface;

Fig. 2 is an-enlarged detail in peripheral elevation of one of the splitrings used for the hinge connections between the covers and leaves of the book; a

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary-detail in vertical section through the book as it appears when upstood upon a desk; 4

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the leaves about 7 evenly divided between the front and rear sides 16 of the'book;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail in vertical section through the lower edge portion of oneof the the application thereto of fricjtion means: 20

Fig. 6 which is a similar view shows a friction means of modified contour; and

Fig, 7 is afragmentary view in elevation.show'- ing the manner in which the ringsforming the hinge connections between the covers and leaves may incline to one side, and showing the split Q registering holes a each of which is adapted to receive a split ringR formingahinge connection for the covers and leaves. In a book so formed the rings are free to revolve'through the holes in which they are entered and the covers and le vesare likewise free to be turned about the ngs through substantially 360degrees. From the normal closed position either cover may be swung around through an arc of 300 degrees or so to the 40 1 position indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. when so disposed, the leaves may be exposed successively to 'view on one or the other side of the covers which are then adapted for upstandin with the hinge edge-uppermost, upon a desk or other plane sur-- face. Accordingly in usethe leaves may be moved successively so as to, which are inscribed thereon.

According to the present invention the covers are desirably slightly greater in radial length than are'th'e leaves. This means that, when the book is upstood on a desk or table, only the-botton: edges of the covers will contact therewith, theleaves being supported at a slightly elevated position, as shown best in Fig. 3. This support, 66

expose to view the notes user;

find it desirable to form of course, is furnished by the hinge connections in the form of the several rings R. Because of this relationship in size between the covers and leaves, the latter remain outof contact with the desk and so are entirely free to be turned, as desired, with a minimum of effort on the part of the Referring now to Fig. 2, the split ends of each ring are obliquely inclined as 341 110. across the outer periphery thereof to provide a point II on each ring and at one side thereof. The ring poras shown in Fig. 2. To promote this sidewise After being so crossed, the

. a completeturning movement misalignment referred to, it maybe desirable temporarily to cross the ring ends whereby'the surfaces adjacent the points II lie back to back. rings will acquire a set which will assist in main aining the pointed extremities in inset relation when the ring ends are uncrosse'd and allowed to resume their normal position.

The holes'in the covers and leaves through which the rings are entered are desirably of 'a size sufliciently greater than the rings themselves to permit free movement of the covers and leaves about the rings which serve as a hinge connection therefor. It is, of course, the diameters of the rings should be sufficiently large to accommodate therewithin the edge portion of the covers and leaves, in varying thickness, without substantial interference, otherwise I would be attended with dimculty. with rings of appropriate size to permit the necessary freedom of movement on the part of the covers and leaves, there will be a tendency for the rings to cal, as suggested in Fig. vantage in this provided ciently light to be easily raised to parallel positions with turning movements of the leaveswithout appreciable friction therewith, and that the split ends of the rings offer no protruding points to catch upon the leaves as they are turned. Ac-

cording to the present invention, the rings are shift easily in response to sufliciently light to turning movements of the covers and leaves and are, furthermore, so formed as to protect the leaves from contact with the points at the split ends of the rings. This is the more important because the lea'ves'ordinarily used are of paper which is rather weak in tensile strength .and so is iiable to be torn or injured when moved from one position to another.

The maximum advantage of a notebook of the presentkind is realized when the book is stood upright upon a desk so as toexpose the leaves to view at an angle which is most convenient' to .the eye. In such position 'theupper and lower edges of the leaves should be substantially equidistant from the eye of the user. 0rdinarilythis would requi e a rather wide spread of the lower edges of the covers upon the desk in order to purpose. When so spread. however,

the covers are apt engaging therewith. I

to normal position,

also necessary that ism,- as A leaves more freely incline from the verti-" 7. There is no disad-' that the rings be sumproduce the angle requisite for this particua larly upon a polished smooth surface of a desk, to slip and keep on spreading so that the entire book will collapsedownflat upon the desk. Accordingly there is an angle of repose which is determined in large part by the frictional properties of the covers along their lower edges in engagement with the desk surface. Ihave found that a much greater advantage of the note books may be obtained by applying. to the lower edges of the covers a friction material having, by preference, a rubber content. One way of applyin this material is to arrange a number of the covers in a stack with the edges even and then apply a rubbery material with a brush over the entire surface thus presented: When separated, each cover will carry with it along. the treated edge a strip of the friction material which, while scarcely visible to the eye, is suflicient in amount to add appreciably to the anti-slipping properties of the cover. In Fig. 5, the numeral l5 represents the friction material so applied. Accordingly a book, with covers so treated, can be upstood with the covers at a much wider angle than, would Btherwise be the case.

In Fig. 6, Ihave shown a modified application of the rubbery material It which in this case is adhered to the cover edge as the result of a dip-i ping operation in a pan containing such material to only a shallow depth, This methodbf treatment hasthe advantage that some of the material will exten around to lie upon the adiacent faces of 'th cover instead of being conflned to its edge as in the construction of Fig. 5.

It will be found that a note book constructed principal difliculties absence of projections on the rings forming the hinged connections, because of the light weight of the rings which makes it feasible to enter them in holes of rings may incline sidewise or upstand in parallelit is possible tcm'anipulate the than otherwise, and all with-v out injury or tearinkto the leaves or covers. The leaves being suspended so that their lower edges are removed from contact with the desk, when the book is in the "position ing may be accomplished with greater facility. And flnallyAhe added advantage of upstanding the book with a greater spreadof the covers, but without danger of e on the desk or table, enables the leaves to be exp s d to viewat an angle which is most convenient and restful for the eyes of the user.

I claim:

1. A Book cover comprising a sheet'of relatively stifl material whose edge remote from the hinge end of said cover is coated with a rubbery of Fig.1, their tumsubstance capable of preventing slippin of said cover when stood on said coated edge. 2. A book cover comprising a, sheet of relahinge end of said cover is treated with a rubber! composition capable of rendering said edge,suf-. flcientLv adhesive topreveht slipping when said cover is stood on said treated edge.

'3.,A book cover comprising a sheet of relatively stifl material whose edge remote from the hinge end of said cover is provided with a both stantially equal to the thickness of said cover'at said edge.

4,1 note book having covers composed of relasufficient diameter sothatthe collapse due to slip n tively stiff material whoseedge remote from the of anti-slipping material having a thickness subtively stiff material adapted to be turned relative to their hinge to form an easel support for the leaves, and the edges of said covers remote fromthe hinge having incorporated therein a rubbery substance adapted to engage non-skiddingly with a horizontal surface upon which the book is stood.

5. A note book having covers composed of relatively stii! material adapted to be-turned relative to their hinge to form an'easei support for theleaves, and a layer oi non-skid rriction material or substantially the thickness or said covers on said cover edges remote from the hinge adapted to resist slipping of the covers when functioning as an easel support.

. THOMAS J. SALSMAN. 

